


Stone cold

by CamillaMalena



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Jotunn | Frost Giant, Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) Redemption, Odin (Marvel)'s A+ Parenting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Torture, Post-Thor: The Dark World, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Loki (Marvel), Sweet Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24275833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CamillaMalena/pseuds/CamillaMalena
Summary: After the events of 'Thor: The dark world', Loki is imprisoned again until he is forced to stand trial in Jotunheim for the near destruction of the entire realm...
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Justice must be served

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Frostbite](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841749) by [Maiden_of_Asgard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiden_of_Asgard/pseuds/Maiden_of_Asgard). 



Odin sits restlessly on his throne. He is holding his scepter in one hand and his other hand nervously taps on his armrest. A thousand thoughts are running through his mind: _‘What do they want?’_ The new frost giant king had requested a meeting with the Allfather. He _requested_ a meeting. This is something that hasn’t happened since the war. He can’t say no, that is simply unacceptable. Although the last frost giant king who entered Asgard did try to kill him. _‘Does the new frost giant king wants to finish Laufey’s lifelong dream?’_ : Odin wonders. He wants to ask Frigga for advice but that is just impossible. He still misses her. His train of thoughts is disrupted when a guard opens the door and five frost giants step into the room. The temperature drops a few degrees and all the guards in the throne room are staring at the frost giants, terror visible in their eyes. Some guards have never seen frost giants. They are 3 meters tall and completely blue with dark scars accentuating there sharp faces and muscular torso. They are scarcely dressed, only wearing leather trousers, a belt to attach their sword on, and leather boots that reach their knees. The frost giant in the front is the only one who is wearing a cape made of the skin of a giant polar bear. The front paws are placed around the neck of the frost giant and sewn together to keep the cape in place. The beast’s head dangles on the giant’s back like some kind of hood. But the most terrifying part of these monsters are their red eyes. _‘This situation is just bizarre’:_ Odin mumbles. But to make matters even stranger, the frost giants stop in front of the throne and bow before Odin. They bow. A couple of guards stare perplexed at the scene unfolding in front of them. Odin rests his hand on his knee and pinches it discreetly. _‘No, I’m not dreaming’_ : he thinks. The frost giants rise again and the giant with the cape starts to speak: _‘Greetings my king. My name is king Ajit, Laufey’s firstborn, and the new king of Jotunheim. And these are my guards.’_ Odin looks surprised at this new king. _‘What brings you here, king Ajit?’_ Odin asks. _‘Justice, my king. My planet was attacked and my people were nearly all killed by your son, Loki Odinson.’_ : Ajit says quietly. _‘I demand that Loki faces justice on Jotunheim. My people deserve it’_ : Ajit says calmly. _‘That won’t be necessary’_ : Odin answers. _‘Loki is being punished for his crimes here on Asgard’._ Ajit frowns and says: _‘He is indeed facing justice for his attack on New York but not for his actions against Jotunheim.’_. Odin is surprised by this act of defiance. _‘Why would I grant your request? The last time frost giants set foot in this realm, they tried to assassinate me.’_ : Odin shouts. Ajit doesn’t look impressed by Odin’s sudden outburst. _‘They were traitors and faced justice here in Asgard. They ware killed for their actions. I don’t think I can give them another punishment.’_ : Ajit says mockingly. _‘The other frost giants did nothing wrong, and still deserve justice.’_ Odin’s stares at Ajit and then nots. _‘Your wish is granted’_ he says. Ajit smiles. _‘We want to start the trial tomorrow.’_ : Ajit replies. ' _Trial?_ ': Odin says surprised. _‘Of course’ ‘Every accused has the right to defend himself even on Jotunheim. We aren’t savages”_ Ajit winks at Odin. Loki wasn’t given the chance to defend his actions when he was sent to an Asgardian prison. Was Ajit mocking Odin? _‘You’re dismissed’_. Odin mutters. The frost giants bow and leave the throne room. The temperature rises again and the guards dare to breathe again.

Thor storms in the throne room. _‘Are you completely mad?’_ : He screams. _‘They are going to kill him! You can’t let them do that!’_ Odin looks at Thor: _‘It is childish to eavesdrop, Thor, certainly for a future king. What do you want me to do? It is a reasonable request.’ D_ _o you want me to start a war because of your treacherous brother?’._ Odin replies. _‘You can’t send him to Jotunheim, father! I can’t lose him again. Mother wouldn’t want it!’_ : Thor shouts, tears are starting to form in his eyes. _‘Your mother is dead!’:_ Odin shouts. _‘Frigga is the only reason why he isn’t dead already! But Frigga is gone and so is my promise to her. Loki will face justice in Jotunheim and that is the end of this discussion!.’_

* * *

_The next morning ..._

Loki is laying bored in his bed. He is throwing a cup in the air, and catches it in his hand. He throws it again, and again. He has been awake for hours. A peasant had decided to break into a noblewoman's house in the middle of the night. Loki was woken up by the man's screams while he was tossed into a cell. _‘Idiot, how did he dare to wake me up in the middle of the night?’_ : Loki curses. The door of the prison swings open and four guards enter the room. They are walking towards Loki's cell. _'Does Odin miss me already?'_ : Loki chuckles.

Loki walks into the throne room with a smug smile on his face. His wrist and feet are chained together. He is accompanied by the four guards, two of them are holding a chain that is connected to a metal belt around Loki’s waist. _‘I’m chained like a dog on a leash. How humiliating.’_ : Loki mumbles. But instead of showing his anger and humiliation he smiles at the Allfather. _‘Odin will not break me. I’m much stronger than he can imagine.’:_ Loki thinks. Loki stops in front of Odin and taps his feet together. When the chains around his ankles collide they make a musical sound. Loki starts laughing as he sees Odin’s face turn angrier and angrier. ' _You think this situation is funny? Is this all a joke to you, Loki?’_ : Odin askes bitterly. Loki responds with a venomous smile. Odin continues: _‘Today you will stand trial for the destruction of Jotunheim.’_ Loki raises an eyebrow. _‘Why do you care about Jotunheim?’_ : Loki asks. _‘I don’t, but their new king, Ajit Laufeyson, does.'_ : Odin replies. Loki is shocked, he didn’t know Laufey had other children. But he doesn’t show his surprise to Odin, he is keeping his emotions hidden behind his smug smile. _‘I assume he demanded an extra punishment? I already have to spend the rest of my days in the dark. What are you going to do? Make my cell darker?’_ : Loki mocks. _‘He demands you to be punished on Jotunheim’_ : Odin says sternly. _‘What?’_ : Loki shouts, _‘You can’t be serious?’_ Loki’s expression turns to anger but Odin isn’t fooled, he can see the terror in Loki's eyes. _‘It was a fair request’:_ Odin answers. Loki shouts in response: ' _Oh, now you are best friends with the frost giants? Shall I make you friendship bracelets? This is just ridiculous! The great Allfather following commands of frost giants? Disgusting! Congratulations father, you were right all along. I_ _guess it has always been my birthright to die on that frozen rock.'_ These are Loki’s final words because after that one of the guards puts a muzzle on him.

Loki is escorted to the door by the guards. Odin rises, and follows the guards. They reach the rainbow bridge. A group of Asgardians is watching the scene. They are looking at Loki like he is some kind of attraction. Loki is ignoring the crowd but he knows they are staring. _'They are probably mocking me. What isn't there to mock? A fallen prince chained and muzzled like a dog. I am just a joke to them, I have always been'_ : Loki thinks bitterly. Thor is standing at the end of the rainbow bridge. He walks towards Loki and says: _'Don't worry little brother, I've always had your back, even now.'_ A faint smile crosses Thor's face. Loki rolls his eyes: _'I don't need your protection, I am perfectly capable of handling things on my own. I don't need the crown prince to fix everything. And besides, there is nothing that you can do. My fate has been decided a long time ago. Kidnapping me from Jotunheim didn't change that, it only postponed the inevitable.'_ Odin walks towards Heimdall and commands him to open the bridge to Jotunheim. Heimdall places his sword in the Bifrost and a portal to Jotunheim opens. Loki takes one last look at Asgard before he is being sucked into the portal. And then everything feels cold.. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68EnJITH-5Q  
> Loïc Nottet - Million Eyes is a song about being different in a cruel world. I think it reflects Loki's inner struggles. Enjoy the story and the song ;)


	2. Judgment day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A song to set the scene: Wardruna - Isa  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDyAp-wtnFo

The snow creaks under their feet, as they are walking towards the castle. If you can even call it a castle. Jotunheim isn’t a rich realm. The only materials they have and that can withstand the harsh environment are rocks, a little bit of wood and ice. The castle was carved out of a mountain, a volcano to be precise and surrounded by a massive ice wall. The thick rock walls serve as an isolation to keep the heat from the volcano inside the castle. Warmth is a luxury only the king can afford. Loki isn’t paying attention to his surroundings. The slippery path and the chains aren’t making it easy for him to keep his balance. The ice-cold wind tries to drag him into the crevasses. At the wall the Asgardians are welcomed by two guards, who open the gates for them. The wind is less strong once they are inside because the wall functions as a windbreaker so Loki can walk more comfortably. Inside the wall is some sort of courtyard. But this courtyard is filled with huge igloo’s. Frost giants stick their heads outside the igloo’s as the Asgardians walk by. Loki can hear the faint crying of a baby. Once they pas the igloo’s they enter the castle. Inside the castle it isn’t a lot warmer. You would think that building a castle inside a volcano would work better. The floor is also not an improvement, it is made of ice. The Asgardians are trying not to slip as they walk towards the throne room. King Ajit is sitting a throne made of ice spikes. There are four frost giants sitting next to him, two on either side. The other side of the room is filled with frost giants sitting on rugs. When the Asgardians walk into the throne room Ajit and his associates stand and welcome the Asgardians: _‘Welcome king Odin, prince Thor and prince Loki. Please take a seat.’_ Ajit point at a couple of rugs on the front row. The guards who accompany Loki look confused at Odin. Do they have to sit, does Loki need to sit? Ajit sees their confusion and answers: _‘The accused can stand in front of the crowd.’_ Loki rolls his eyes. _‘At least I don’t have to sit on frozen rugs’:_ he thinks. Ajit continues: _‘The muzzle and shackles won’t be necessary.’_ The Asgardian guards look surprised at Odin but he nods in approval. After Loki is released from his chains the guards take place next to Thor and Odin. Loki rubs his sore wrists, looks Ajit straight in the eyes, and says mockingly: _‘Thank you for your hospitality’_. Thor is flabbergasted. _‘Shut up, Loki’_ : Thor snarls. Ajit isn’t impressed by Loki’s little act of defiance. _‘Today you will stand trial for your attack on Jotunheim. You will stand trial in front of myself and my four most trusted advisers. We will decide your punishment.’_ : Ajit says. The crowd starts cheering. Ajit hushes them. Loki has a lump in his throat, all these frost giants cheering for his demise isn't really comforting. Still he manages to hide his fears. He wears his confident smile as a mask. Ajit continues: _‘The victims can tell their story, then the accused has the right to defend himself.’_ Loki is baffled. Normally he is always prepared for the unexpected, he is always three steps ahead. But he didn't think he would have a chance to explain his actions, the Allfather hadn't given him that opportunity. Ajit says: _‘I will be the spokesman for the victims-._ ’ Loki interrupts: _‘Well that’s not really fair. You are the victim and the judge. You need a third party if you truly want this to be a fair trial.’_ Ajit laughs: _‘You get the chance to defend yourself, it is already more than you deserve. Do you even realize what your actions have done to my realm, to our realm?_ _I watched helplessly as my people were being slaughtered by a force, unlike anything we had ever seen._ _Entire villages were being destroyed, a lot of people became homeless -.'_ Loki interrupted Ajit: _‘Maybe you could give them shelter in your castle, it looks cozy here.’_ Ajit isn’t fazed by Loki's rude response: ‘ _Why do you think all these frost giants are present here? There were so many frost giants seeking shelter that we had to build temperate shelters outside the castle.’_ It feels like there is a stone being dropped in Loki’s stomach. But he is refusing to feel guilty for these monsters. _‘Our crops and farms all lay at the bottom of an enormous crater. When the attack stopped we spend days trying to find survivors in the rubble._ _Afterward we spend weeks burying our death. But that wasn’t the end of our misery._ _A lot of children and elderly died of starvation or froze to death. Because the Bifrost was gone, we couldn’t ask other realms for aid. So I ask you this, Loki Odinson, why did you do it? Please answer truthfully otherwise you lose the last piece of honor you have left.’_ Loki wants to answer but he doesn’t know what to say. He isn’t feeling guilty for these monsters. But a voice in the back of his mind says that he should feel guilty. Loki clears his throat and speaks: _‘I wanted to destroy this frozen hellhole to show my worth to Odin.’_ The Jotun’s gasp, Thor want’s to interrupt Loki but Odin silences him. Ajit’s expression stays stoic: _‘You have to give me a better answer, little brother.’_ Loki’s face turns pale, his lips form a straight line. _‘Don’t call me that!’_ : Loki shouts. _‘But it is the truth Loki, you are the God of Lies but you can’t deny the truth.’_ : Ajit says forcefully. _‘Tell me, why did you do it?’_ Loki is fuming, he wants to kill him, he is going to kill him .. Ajit repeats his question: _‘Why did you really do it?’_ Loki is breathing heavily. His nails are digging into the palm of his hand. He tries to control himself but then he breaks: _‘Because I wanted to destroy everything and everyone that reminded me of the truth, that I was the monster who parents tell their children about at night. If I destroyed all of you, I wouldn’t be one of you and my life could return back to normal. I wouldn’t be another stolen relic, I would just be normal again.’_ There’re tears forming in Loki’s eyes. Thor gets up and lays his hand on Loki’s shoulder and says: _‘You are still my little brother Loki, nothing will ever change that.’_ Loki slaps Thor hand away and looks venomously at King Ajit. Ajit responds: _'Thank you for your honesty. We will now deliberate about your punishment._ Ajit and his counsel rise and leave the room. All the frost giants are staring at Loki. The tension is palpable in the room. Only the wind dares to make a sound.

An hour passes and Ajit and his counsel return. _‘Took you long enough.’_ : Loki barks. Ajit gives Loki a sly smile in return. _‘We have decided your fate, Loki Odinson.’_ Thor holds his breath and is already planning an escape for Loki. He isn’t going to leave his little brother behind. _‘We have decided that you will stay on Jotunheim and you will help us restore Jotunheim to its former glory. When our realm is rebuilt, your actions will be forgiven.’_ Loki and the other Asgardians are stunned. Loki starts protesting: _‘I am not going to be your slav-'_ Thor interrupts Loki by placing a hand over his mouth. Odin starts to speak: _‘Loki is very grateful for this second chance. In return we will give you all the aid you need.’_ Odin despised Loki for his actions and he thought he wanted Loki death. But he still loved him, he was still his son so he was relieved that Loki wasn't going to be executed. What Odin didn't realize was that his anger towards Loki was a way to cover his own guilt. The guilt that he was responsible for Loki's messed up actions. It would take Odin quite some time to realize this ..  
Ajit smiles and responds: _‘Thank you.’_ Thor is whispering in Loki’s ear: _‘I thought you were the smart brother. Shut up and accept this deal.’_ Loki gives Ajit his fakest smile and says: _‘It would be an honor to serve you.’_ Ajit laughs and says: _‘Guards, escort Loki to his chamber.’_ A frost giant emerges from the crowd and takes Loki away. When the door closes behind him he hears protests from the Jotuns.

Loki’s room is … weird. The room consists of a fireplace, a small window, and a stone bed covered in animal skin, presumably serving as blankets and a mattress. The weird thing is that this room is frost giant size, which makes Loki feel small and weak. _‘Lovely, at least the floor isn't made of ice':_ Loki mutters. A guard answers: _‘Better than an ice cell.’ ‘Mmmm’_ : Loki responds. _‘Wait here.’_ : says the guard as he closes the door and walks away. The guard didn't lock the door. Loki walks to the door and opens it. He peaks his head into the hallway. There are no guards waiting for him. Loki closes the door again. _‘Is this some kind of trap?’:_ he thinks. _‘Do they want me to escape, so they can execute me anyway. So they can tell Odin that I wasted my second chance and avoid the vengeance of the Asgardians. Well probably not the Asgardians but Thor would defiantly be pissed.’_ An hour later King Ajit opens the door and tells Loki to follow him. Loki follows him, head held high. He isn’t going to lose his pride. He is just going to play along and meanwhile he is going to find the trough reason Ajit kept him around. _‘So, what do you have planned for me? Hard labor until I freeze to death or cleaning your throne perhaps?’_ Loki scoffs. Ajit laughs and mocks back: _‘No, you are way too weak to build houses, you wouldn’t last a day.’_ Loki is offended. _‘Stupid popsicle, I wouldn’t last a day? He’d be surprised at what I have endured. I am a lot stronger then he thinks.’:_ Loki thinks. _‘You will be helping in the kitchen.’:_ Ajit says. _‘I beg your pardon!’:_ Loki responds. Ajit is raising an eyebrow but he continues: _‘Almost all the frost giants are needed to rebuild homes, work on the fields ore look after the children. I have a small team that makes sure every refugee in my castle is being fed while they do their jobs.’_ Loki is baffled: _‘I am not going to stir soup all day!’_ Ajit laughs and says: _‘No worries, you will be the new dishwasher.’_ They enter the kitchen. The kitchen is a lot warmer than the throne room and the floor is luckily made of stone. There are a lot of fireplaces with cauldrons on, in the middle there are tables placed were a couple of frost giants are cutting meat and vegetables and on the right there are tubs with ice and snow. Ajit says: _‘I like to introduce you to the head of the kitchen and your new boss, Willa.’_ Loki can't see Willa, she is standing hidden behind a frost giant. She stops cutting meat and walks towards Ajit and Loki. She bows her head and says: _‘King Ajit, prince Loki, welcome in my kitchen.’_ Loki is stunned and shouts: _‘You are a Midgardian?!'_


	3. A clean plate

Loki is sitting on the floor in front of a tub full of bowls and cups. He takes a bowl, cleans it with a sponge, and then lays it on a rack in front of one of the fireplaces to dry. Loki is doubting if this is a big upgrade from his Asgardian cell. But he is seeing an opportunity in this humiliating task, he can watch and eavesdrop on the conversations completely unnoticed. There are only two people left in the kitchen: the Midgardian named Willa and a frost giant named Ok, the other frost giant, named Metin, went away to collect more snow. Apparently, on Jotunheim they have almost no access to water so they melt snow instead. Ok is a large but extremely thin frost giant. His ribs, shoulder blades, and collarbones are very prominently visible. He is wearing the same trousers and shoes as the other frost giants Loki had seen. While Ok is stirring in one of the kettles, Willa is gutting the weirdest fish Loki has ever seen. It wouldn’t surprise Loki if they fished this monster straight out of Helheim. The fish looks like an eel but it is two meters long and completely black, on the inside and on the outside. It’s eight red eyes are gazing at Loki, giving him a gruesome smile with its sharp yellow teeth. Loki is fascinated by this creature. _‘Do you want a blanket?’:_ Loki snaps out of his trance and looks at Willa. Willa is tossing some black intestines in a bucket a repeats: _‘Do you want a blanket to sit on? The floor can get uncomfortable after a while.’_ Willa is, according to Loki’s Midgardian knowledge, an average looking Midgardian. She has blue eyes, brown curly hair, and very pale skin. Her hair is tied in a messy bun but a couple of curls escaped and are hanging in front of her face. She is wearing the same kind of trousers and boots as the other frost giants. She is wearing a leather band wrapped around her breasts as some sort of primitive bra. Loki can clearly see some markings on her stomach and arms, they look like burn marks. Loki doesn’t think that she is ugly, there is just nothing noticeable about her. She is just another Midgardian, like Loki had seen a thousand times before. Loki is staring Willa straight in the eyes and responds: _‘No thank you, I’ve never been this comfortable.’_ Willa chuckles and continues butchering the demon fish. _‘When you are finished, you can bring the bowls to the throne room.’:_ She says. Loki rises and makes an exaggerated bow: _‘Whatever you wish.’_ After that Loki walks to the throne room to fulfill his task. Willa rolls her eyes: _‘What a drama queen. How long do you think he can maintain his cocky charade.’:_ she asks to Ok. Ok responds: _‘If I can believe the rumors, then this is not a charade. He is just an ass.’_ Ok and Willa laugh. _‘I know he is up to something, Loki Odinson isn’t the type to accept his new role as a dishwasher without a struggle. I just hope he can leave Midgard and Jotunheim in one piece this time.’:_ Willa says. _‘Do you agree with the king's decision to keep Loki alive?’:_ Willa asks. Ok thinks for a while and responds: _‘The king is trying to be different than his father. He does not want to bring our realm more destruction and war. If Loki can help to rebuild our planet, I can forgive him for his past actions but I will and can never forget what he has done.’_ Willa nods in understanding. _‘So your previous king was also Loki’s father but he abandoned him, why?’:_ Willa asks. Ok answers: _‘King Laufey was a ruthless, bloodthirsty dictator. A dwarf as a son was a disgrace to his bloodline. So he ordered his guards to kill him. His wife, queen Rayna, tried to stop him but her act of disobedience made Laufey furious. So he told his guards to dump Loki outside in the cold, so he would freeze to death. He told his wife that she was the reason the ‘little monster’ would die slowly and painfully instead of a quick death. Then the war started. Only a couple of guards knew about this, the others were told that the child died during birth. Queen Rayna never recovered from this traumatic experience. But she had one reason to keep on going and that was her son Ajit. She had one goal in her life and that was to make sure Ajit wouldn’t become the monster his father was.’_ Willa is shocked. _‘How can a father do such cruel things to his family? And what happened to queen Rayna?’_ Ok sighs: ‘ _She died of pneumonia when king Ajit was a teenager.’_ Willa shakes her head. _‘Wow, that’s terrible. But how do you know these things?’: Willa asks. ‘I was the one who, ehm, disposed of Loki.’:_ Ok mumbles. Willa responds: _‘What? How could you do that to an innocent baby?’_ Ok stares at the fire and says: _‘I am not proud of my former actions. Since Ajit became king I am trying to redeem myself, to become a better man. King Ajit gave me a second chance and I am thoroughly grateful.’_ Willa smiles: ‘ _If your skin wouldn’t burn my skin I would give you a hug.’_ Ok laughs. Willa continues: _‘It takes a lot of courage to admit mistakes...’_ Ok smiles and says: _‘Thank you, Willa. Let’s throw the fish in the stew so we can finally eat!’_

_\--_ _All the frost giants stopped working to get dinner. Metin and Ok are in charge of distributing the stew outside the castle, while Loki and Willa did the same thing in the throne room --_

There is a table placed in the throne room with bowls placed on it. Next to the table are standing two cauldrons from which Loki and Willa pour stew. There is a cheerful atmosphere in the room, all the frost giants are talking and discussing there day with one another. They are all extremely friendly towards Willa, always asking her how her day was and it seems Willa knows every frost giants name. _‘How long has she been here?’_ : Loki wonders. Willa had put on a thick fur coat, earmuffs, and gloves to protect her from the cold and also the frost giants. If she accidentally touches a frost giant she would get freeze burns. On the other hand, the frost giants were not so friendly towards Loki. They weren’t mean or anything. They just didn’t know how to react to the person that destroyed their homes and lives. Loki is trying to ignore their stares. He knows that he is probably a hot topic at the moment. After what seems like forever to Loki all the frost giants are sitting on the floor and eating their dinner. Willa takes a bowl with stew and gives it to Loki, then she takes a bowl for herself and sits on the table. She is gesturing to Loki to sit on the spot next to her. Loki is rising an eyebrow but a table is better than the floor he thinks, so he sits down next to her. They start eating their meal in silence. Then Willa breaks the silence: _‘So, aren’t you a little bit curies as how a Midgardian ended up in Jotunheim?’ ‘No, I am not’_ : Loki answers. _Willa chuckles and says: ‘I am still going to tell the story tho.’ ‘Then I won’t listen’_ : Loki responds. Willa ignores Loki and continues: _‘I always wake up early so I can go for a morning run before I go to work. That morning seemed like every other morning. I woke up, ate my breakfast, and started jogging. I didn’t get far because the moment I turn the corner of my street I stumble over something. Instead of landing on the concrete, I landed in the snow. I was extremely confused. I tried to stand up but the moment I tried the snow under my feet started to slide. I seemed I had caused an avalanche. I got completely covered in snow. I panicked, I didn’t know what to do. I tried to crawl out of the snow but I didn’t know what way was up or down. Eventually, I couldn’t move my body anymore. I felt the cold creeping into my bones. I tried to stay awake but it was just impossible. When I woke up I was in the castle. Ajit and a couple of others went to the avalanche to see if any frost giants got hurt because there is apparently a small village nearby. Thanks to some miracle they found me and saved my life. Later I found out that I ended up on Jotunheim do to something called the convergence. Because the convergence was over and Jotunheim isn’t connected to other realms I couldn’t return home. But after discovering what these people were going through I didn’t want to return home, at least not yet. Instead, I offered king Ajit my help and I have been working in the kitchen since. On earth, I work as a volunteer in a homeless shelter in the kitchen so I can manage cooking for a crowd. ’_ Loki fakes the fact that he isn’t paying attention. Willa looks at Loki and says in a mocking tone: _‘Wow, Willa interesting story. Thank you for sharing!’ You’re welcome Loki.’_ Willa jumps off the table and starts collecting the frost giants dishes. Loki is watching her, she is talking to a frost giant who is holding a baby. The baby smiles at her and grabs Willa’s finger. She starts laughing. Willa just radiates warmth and kindness. Loki notices that he is staring. _‘Don’t get distracted.’:_ He thinks.

Loki is sitting on the floor of the kitchen, he is washing dishes again. His back is facing a fireplace, he can feel the heat of the fire radiating on his skin. His fingers are getting wrinkly, which he finds extremely annoying. But this time Ok, Willa and Metin are helping him. Metin is a lot shorter but more muscular than Ok. Loki is wondering why she isn’t helping with the construction of the new houses, she looks strong enough. Willa is explaining to Metin and Ok how cellphones work but they still don’t believe that there is no magic involved. Loki isn’t paying attention at the conversation. He is feeling very conflicted. He wants to escape this terrible place but at the same time, he wants to stay because .. Well he doesn’t know why he wants to stay longer, maybe because he has nowhere else to go ..? He can’t go back to Asgard or Midgard … Loki can feel the fire's heat on his back. It doesn’t feel warm or cozy, it stings, it hurts. All of a sudden he isn’t in the kitchen anymore, he is back in his cell. But this is not his Asgardian cell, this cell is damp and extremely hot. Loki wants to wipe the sweat of his forehead but he can’t, his hands are chained to the ceiling. There is a lot of blood on the floor, … his blood. He can feel his blood seeping along his skin. He can hear footsteps coming closer. _‘He is back’:_ Loki thinks. His heart starts racing, he can’t catch air. _‘I can’t breathe, I CAN'T BREATHE.’:_ his mind screams. _‘Loki, are you alright?’:_ Willa asks. Loki’s face is completely pale, he is sweating profusely and his hands are trembling. Loki snaps out of his nightmare and responds rather harshly: _‘Yes, why shouldn’t I be.’_ And he continues washing the dishes. Willa isn’t convinced, she is sure she had seen the terror in Loki’s green eyes. _‘Wait, I thought Loki had blue eyes. His face was all over the news when he attacked New York and I swear he had blue eyes then. Weird.’:_ She thought. After a while, the team is done. Ok and Metin go to the throne room, Willa and Loki stay behind in the kitchen. Loki is unsure what to do now, should he go to his room or should he wander around … _‘I want to show you something.’_ : Willa says. Loki is startled: _‘Excuse me?’_. _‘Come on!’:_ Willa says as she takes her thick fur coat and puts it on. Loki and Willa walk through the halls and to the front gate, they pass the frost giants in there Igloos. A couple frost giant children are having a snowball fight and they accidentally hit Willa in the face. She falls into the snow. The frost giants run towards her and ask her if she is alright. Willa stands up in silence and shoves a bunch of snow in one of the children’s faces. The children start laughing and throw more snow at Willa but Willa doesn’t back down. But then she turns around and throws a snowball at Loki, Loki dodges it. He isn’t amused, he is cold and tired. Willa smiles and says: _‘Oh come on, don’t be so moody all the time.’_ She throws another snowball in his direction, Loki dodges it again. He looks angry at Willa. Wille sighs: _‘Fine fine, follow me.’_ They leave the castle behind them. Willa doesn’t stop talking for a second. She talks about the frost giant children, how one of them accidentally touched her and gave her an ugly burn…. Loki isn’t really paying attention. Then Willa stops and turns around and says: _‘We are here!’. ‘What is here’:_ Loki asks _. ‘Look.’_ Willa says as she points towards the valley. Loki’s jaw almost drops to the floor. The sight is beautiful. The sun is just starting to set. The sky is a mixture of pink and purple and it looks like the mountains in the distance are on fire. The snowy mountain peaks reflect the last beams of sunlight. It looks amazing, not gruesome, or cold as he thought Jotunheim would be. _‘Yeah, I had the same reaction when I first saw it. In your trial, you said Jotunheim was just a frozen rock. I guess even in the most miserable places there is beauty, you just need to stand open to the possibility.’:_ Willa says while staring at the sunset. They watch the scenery together in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHXEGz3PJg  
> "This song is about the ways we look for love in things that are perhaps not love, and how attempts to feel less alone can sometimes isolate us more," _ Florence + the Machine: hunger  
> Enjoy this chapter!


	4. Copies and clones

Loki is waking up after a surprisingly good night of sleep. He is confused at first, this isn’t his Asgardian cell but then he remembers that he is on Jotunheim. He groans and turns around, placing his blanket over his head. He hears someone knocking on the door: _‘Rise and shine sleepy head! I expect you in the kitchen in 15 minutes! I’ll leave a toothbrush and some other stuff in front of your door!’_ Loki clearly recognized Willa’s voice. Loki presses his blanket firmer over his head. If he ignores Willa long enough maybe he can fall back asleep and wake up in Asgard again. Eventually Loki rolls out of his bed, he opens the door and picks up the stuff Willa left behind. Loki takes the pile inside and places it onto his bed. He has a couple of fabric pieces (probably towels), a little bowl that had some weird blue content in it, and another with wite content, a cup with water, and a surprisingly normal-looking toothbrush. It is sweet that Willa had thought of him. Dental hygiene is apparently important on Jotunheim, for some reason this surprises Loki. Loki brushes his teeth and washes his face, he puts on his Asgardian outfit and makes his way to the kitchen.

It smells really nice in the kitchen. When Loki enters the kitchen everyone turns around and smiles at him. Ok asks: _‘Good morning, did you sleep well?’_ Loki feels rather uncomfortable by all this niceness but he answers politely: _‘Yes, I have.’_ The frost giants go back to work and Loki stands there awkwardly. He starts walking around the kitchen, opening a couple of baskets and tons to see what’s inside. It seems this morning the frost giants are making bread. Ok and two other frost giants Loki had never seen are kneading giant balls of dough while Metin is standing by a fireplace, poking in one of the loaves of bread with a knife. Willa runs into the kitchen: _‘Loki! Thank God you’re here!’_ Ok and Metin look confused at each other. _‘All these breads need to go to the throne room, so take a box and hurry.’_ Willa seems rather stressed today. Loki drags himself to the baskets with breads, picks two up, and starts walking towards the throne room.’ When he leaves he hears Metin say: _‘Does Midgard only have one God?’_ Loki walks through the hallways, he feels the air getting colder and the floor is covered with ice when he gets closer to the throne room. He is passing a couple of frost giants who are on their way to the kitchen. He steps inside the throne room and sees no one, the room is completely empty. He places the pieces of bread with the other baskets and starts walking around the room. He approaches the throne and studies it. It is made of ice, Loki touches the armrest but it doesn’t feel cold. _‘Fascinating.’_ : He thinks. _‘Does it not feel cold because I am immune to cold or would it feel the same to Willa? Would it melt if a Midgardian touches it? It isn’t freezing in here so it should already be melting..’._ Willa walks into the room and places a giant tray of butter on the table next to the piles of bread. Loki turns around to face her and says: _‘Come here and touch the throne.’ ‘Excuse me?’_ : Willa says. Loki rolls his eyes. _‘My question isn’t that difficult Midgardian, just come here and touch the throne’_ : Loki says annoyed. _‘Ehm, alright’_ : Willa says while she takes off her glove. She walks to the opposite side of the throne and carefully places a hand on the armrest. _‘And?’_ : Loki says. _‘Strange, I thought it would feel colder, it feels more like cold marble then ice.’_ : Willa says confused. Willa lifts her hand from the armrest and puts her glove back on. Loki rubs the spot Willa just touched. _‘It hasn’t melted a bit, fascinating.’:_ Loki mumbles. Willa looks confused at Loki and says: _‘Ehm, what are you doing?’ ‘I wanted to know if the throne could melt.’_ : Loki says casually while walking away, making his way back to the kitchen. Willa stares at Loki as he walks away and smiles. _‘Curious Loki is better than moody Loki I guess.’_ : She thinks as she follows Loki to the kitchen. Loki is walking rather slowly to the kitchen so Willa quickly catches up and walks aside Loki. She asks: _‘Do I need to ask the seamstress for other clothes? You can’t wear the same outfit for weeks.’_ Loki is disgusted: _‘I am not going to wear frost giant clothes.’ .‘The Asgardians will arrive any day with the first batch of food, maybe I can ask them to bring some Asgardian clothes for you as well?’_ : Willa suggests. _‘I can manage myself, I don’t need your pity, Midgardian.’_ : Loki snares. _‘I’m not pitying you Loki, I’m just being kind._ ’: Willa sigs. Loki can say all he wants, she is still going to fix some clothes for him. If he doesn’t want to wear them that’s fine but at least he will have a choice. _‘He is just too proud to admit he needs help or he is too stubborn to accept kindness.’_ : Willa thinks. They walk together to the kitchen in silence. Eventually, they manage to get everything ready for breakfast. Loki and Willa are the last ones to take their meals from the main table. Willa looks around for a place to sit when a group of frost giant children run towards her and scream: _‘Come sit with us, Willa! Please!’._ Willa gives the children a warm smile and answers: _'Of course I want to eat with you!’._ The children cheer, one takes Willa’s gloved hand and guides her to their spot. The child acts like an 8-year-old but he almost reaches Willa’s shoulder. Loki is left behind as he sees the group walking away but then a child comes running back to Loki and also takes his hand and starts dragging him along. His hand turns blue and Loki looks terrified at it. But the child doesn’t care and with a determined voice she says: _‘You are also eating with us.’_. The girl can’t be older than four but she is strong! Loki doesn’t want to upset a giant toddler or worse her throwing a tantrum so he follows sheepishly. He settles down and starts eating his breakfast. A child named Unn is brabbling the whole time. At one point she stares at Loki and asks: _‘Can you do a magic trick?’ .‘A Magic trick? What do you think I am? I am a sorcerer, not a magician!’_ : Loki says offended. Unn gives Loki the puppy look to convince him. Willa swallows a piece of bread and comments: _‘They do call you the trickster. Or are you not as powerful as they say?’_ She smirks at Loki. Loki knows that Willa is taunting him but he can’t refuse a challenge. Everyone already knows about his abilities so there is no need in keeping them hidden... So Loki smiles at Willa and shapeshifts into an exact copy of her. He smiles and says in his most ridiculous girly voice: _‘Or are you not as powerful as they say?’_.Then he changes back into himself. The frost giant children start sheering. Willa shouts: _‘That was amazing! How did you do that?’_. Unn pulls at Loki’s sleeve and says: _‘Me, me!!’._ Loki isn’t sure if he wants to turn into a frost giant. He stares at Unn for a moment but he can’t refuse the little girl so he shapeshifts. Everyone applauds and Unn gives Loki an enormous smile. Loki turns back into himself. He never felt so proud of himself before. He knows he is a good sorcerer, he is probably the best sorcerer in the nine realms but all these children staring in amazement make him feel appreciated. His mother was always proud of him but no one else treated his sorcery like a real power. On Asgard, you fight with weapons not with tricks, every time he sparred against Thor and he used his shapeshifting Thor told him he was cheating. No one realized the amount of training it took for Loki to get to this level. But Loki is not only an amazing sorcerer he is also strong and very skilled in combat. Loki snaps out of his thoughts as another frost giant child screams: _‘Now me!!’_. Loki smiles and shapeshifts again. The children start sheering and applauding again. A couple of adult frost giants are watching the spectacle, they start applauding as well. They have never seen this kind of magic and they are all amazed by it. Loki entertains the children until it is time to go back to work.  
The breakfast left overs are put into boxes and brought back to the kitchen.

In the kitchen Loki is placing more wood on the fireplace when Willa asks: _‘Do you want to take a bath today?’_. Loki raises an eyebrow and answers sarcastically: _‘Darling we hardly know each other. That would be extremely inappropriate.’_ Willa laughs and rolls her eyes. _‘Don’t flatter yourself.’_ : She says as she winks at Loki. _‘There is no hot water here so if you want to take a bath tonight, it is best to put some buckets of ice in front of the fireplace in your room so the water is hot in the evening. When it is still too cold you can boil some water. Borya can show you where to find the snow and buckets.’_ Willa points at the frost giant standing next to Metin. Loki had seen Borya walking in the halls during the breakfast preparation. Borya is big and strongly built. On first glance he is an average looking frost giant, that is until you notice he is missing his complete left arm. _‘How did he lose it?’_ : Loki wonders. _‘Follow me little one.’_ : Borya says. _‘Ej! I am quite large according to Asgardian standards!’_ : Loki objects as he follows Borya.  
  
The rest of the day, including lunch pass by quite uneventful for Loki, preparing dinner, washing dishes bla bla bla. That is until Willa and the others aren’t paying attention to Loki. Loki uses this opportunity to duplicate himself. He casually strides away as his clone keeps washing the dishes. The castle is empty, everyone is working outside, so this is the perfect opportunity for Loki to snoop around. His goal is to find a secret passage to get away from Jotunheim. He isn’t sure the previous passages are still functional. ' _The Bifrost couldn’t have destroyed all of them’:_ Loki thinks. Loki walks around, peeks into different rooms but he can’t find anything interesting. Most rooms contain different supplies such as wood or fabric. _‘Boring’:_ Loki mutters. He wants to go outside to go check on the portals but it is too risky, the chances of being spotted are too high even when he is invisible. His footsteps would be easily spotted or he could bump into someone. He has to find a way to pass the igloo’s unnoticed or a way around the igloo’s… As Loki is walking back to the kitchen he hears footsteps approaching. A frost giant passes an invisible Loki. Loki quietly follows the unknow frost giant. The frost giant walks through the hallways until she reaches a door. She stops and stares at the doorknob, her hand resting on top of it. She turns and looks around, making sure no one is looking. Then she enters the room, quickly shutting the door behind her. _‘Strange, a frost giant sneaking around in the castle.’:_ Loki thinks. Loki can’t enter the room, it would be too risky so he turns around and returns to the kitchen. But he will return to investigate later. Loki sneaks inside when everyone’s backs are turned to his clone. He takes his place at the tub again and his clone disappears. _‘This is just too easy.’_ : He thinks.  
That night Loki is sitting in a tub filled with hot water. The only advantage on being a small frost giant is having enough space in the giant tub. He rests his head against the wooden edge and closes his eyes. He inhales slowly, the smell of vanilla fills the air. Loki had poured a bit of the with substance Willa had given him into the bath. Loki exhales, he is trying to relax. He inhales – exhales - … He inhales WATER! WATER IS ENTERING HIS LUNGS! Loki opens his eyes but his vision is blurry. HIS FACE IS UNDERWATER! He tries to lift his head up but something or someone is pushing his head underwater! His heart is racing, he is running out of oxygen… Loki tries to scream but he can only see air bubbles forming underwater. He starts to blackout, he … LOKI, LOKI! Loki opens his eyes and he sees an extremely worried Willa staring at him, her hands are cupping his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of a mess of ideas, I had no patience to put them in multiple chapters :p   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrZolM3uCds   
> Death Note: The Musical - They're Only Human   
> This song gives two viewpoints of humans. For some reason, I think this is also the way Loki thinks about humans (the male voice in the song).   
> Thank you for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language but I tried ;)  
> If you enjoyed it so far, leave a Kudo or a comment (suggestions, tips always welcome!)!  
> Do you like the song suggestions or do you have suggestions let me know!


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